Sunflower oil from enzymatic aqueous extraction process: Maximization of free oil yield and oil characterization

Abstract

In this article, the enzymatic aqueous extraction (EAE) of sunflower seed oil was investigated. The effects of the operational variables (temperature, water seed mass ratio, and enzyme concentration) were evaluated in order to define the conditions that maximize the free oil yield (FOY). It was observed that increasing the amounts of water and enzyme in the extraction medium was disadvantageous to the removal of the oil, and that an increase in temperature provided a higher FOY. Thus, a temperature of 60°C, seed:water ratio of 1:5 (g/g), and enzyme concentration of 1% (v/v) were defined as the conditions for maximum FOY (17.76%). The use of a buffered medium under these conditions increased the FOY to 20.34%. The composition of the oils obtained by the EAE under different experimental conditions was determined and compared with the oil obtained from Soxhlet extraction. The oils under study presented high levels of oleic and linoleic acids, which corresponded to ~90% of the composition of fatty acids. It was also noted that, depending on the extraction conditions, the oils obtained by EAE presented phytosterol and tocopherol contents similar or superior to those of the oil produced by Soxhlet extraction. Practical Applications The enzymatic aqueous extraction of sunflower oil has the potential to replace the solvent extraction method. The results reported herein show that the composition of the sunflower oil obtained by the enzymatic method was similar to that of the oil extracted by the solvent method. In addition, the enzymatic method uses mild conditions that reduce the energy required for the process and the residues are free of organic solvent.

Aqueous Integrated Process for the Recovery of Oil Bodies or Fatty Acid Emulsions from Sunflower Seeds

“…Such enzyme-assisted AOE methods, sometimes combined with protein extraction, have been studied and applied to different kinds of oilseeds: rapeseed [ 5 , 6 ], canola [ 7 ], sunflower [ 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 ], sesame [ 12 ], maize [ 13 ], groundnut [ 4 ], almond [ 14 ] and safflower [ 15 ], but the most studied matrix is undoubtedly soybean [ 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 ]. Many studies have reported the development of ultrasound-assisted AOE [ 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 ], but other methods are also used, including microwave- [ 29 ], pulsed electric field-[ 9 ], pressure shockwave- [ 30 ] and surfactant-assisted [ 31 , 32 ] extraction.…”

Optimization of Aqueous Enzymatic Microwave Assisted Extraction of Macadamia Oil And Evaluation of Its Chemical Composition, Physicochemical Properties, and Antioxidant Activities

“…[ 23,32 ] This difference in oil yield was explained by the different seed oil types and the extent of emulsification after extraction. [ 30 ]…”

“…[5,25] This difference was related to the varieties and growth regions of macadamia nut. [30] Compared with some edible nuts such as almonds (≈43.36%), cashew nuts (≈43.71%), walnuts (≈64.50%), and sunflower (≈57.23%), [25,30,31] the macadamia nut has a higher oil content. Thus, macadamia nut is a great potential oil source in the food industry.…”

Assessment of obtaining sunflower oil from enzymatic aqueous extraction using protease enzymes

“…The oil quality is associated with fatty acid profile. Sunflower oil stands out for being rich in these compounds, with a predominance of unsaturated fatty acids, mainly linoleic acid (60 to 70%), followed by oleic acid (20 to 30%) (Aquino et al, 2019). The consumption of vegetable oil with high quantities of linoleic and oleic acids can help to decrease low-density lipoproteins (LDL cholesterol), and consequently reduce the risk of heart disease (Sánchez-Muniz et al, 2016).…”

“…The consumption of vegetable oil with high quantities of linoleic and oleic acids can help to decrease low-density lipoproteins (LDL cholesterol), and consequently reduce the risk of heart disease (Sánchez-Muniz et al, 2016). The oil extracted from sunflower seeds is also composed of natural antioxidants, such as a-tocopherols, phytosterols, vitamins A, D and E, which aid in oxidative stability (Aquino et al, 2019;Chen et al, 2020), These components are in minor quantity and provide additional nutritional value.…”